A Nationalist Kingdom

Two weeks ago, on May 29th, the results of national elections in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland were presented and they showed a similar result. A decline of right-wing politics, with an absence of the Conservatives across the board and New Britain in Scotland deciding not to stand. But another picture became clear, namely the big victory of the nationalist parties across these three nations. The Scottish National Party won the election in Scotland with 49 seats, Plaid Cymru in Wales with 28 and Sinn Féin in Northern Ireland with 39. A clear win for nationalist parties with Labour coming second in all three nations.

With all three prospective First Ministers announced we can reach the conclusion that the nationalist parties have a strong position in the United Kingdom, but what will the consequences of this be for the United Kingdom? Especially with the possibility of having a Prime Minister from Solidarity as well. The effect of this will be one party controlling all four Governments in the United Kingdom, something u/chainchompsky1 sees as “the culmination of solidarity’s strategy of providing support to autonomous and unique national parties in the hopes of achieving our ultimate views on self determination.” Is the union between these four nations that has been in place for centuries in danger?

According to the former First Deputy Minister of Scotland and former Leader of the SNP, u/chainchompsky1, the fall of the popularity for the union is not to blame on the efforts of Solidarity, but on the lack of action from the Unionist parties. Saying that, “The union will fall or strengthen based on the policies delivered or not. Non-nationalist governments have continuously either wasted the time of the people at best, see the [Liberal Democrat] redo referendum costing Scottish people millions to get an identical result. Or just give up any effort at worst, such as the Tories hasty evacuation from everywhere that isn’t England. The unions popularity in politics is weakening, we don’t think our four nations are weaker now, they are stronger then ever before.”

Former First Minister of Scotland and former Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, u/Skullduggery12 further presses that he doesn’t think that this will be a blow to the union, “as each party such as the SNP, Plaid and Sinn Féin are subsidiaries of Solidarity, it would be counter-intuitive for them not to work together either in the devolved legislature or at Westminster. We are all aware of the record of a Solidarity government - higher taxes and greater regulation. I am sure they will welcome the chance to impose it at any opportunity.”

The biggest shift will be felt in Scotland, where for the first time since June 2019 a nationalist will be First Minister. A nation that was famously the battleground between the Scottish Greens and the Classical Liberals, is now run by a nationalist again after three years having been led by the Classical Liberals, Conservatives, and the Liberal Democrats. A vote that seems like a formality in u/LeftyWalrus, the Leader of the Scottish National Party, will be held this week.

The SNP thinks that the election of a new nationalist First Minister means an “end [to] a relatively heated period of Scottish politics.” They reiterate that “[They] have proactive positive policies to rebuild Scotland’s trust in politics.”

u/Skullduggery12, former First Minister of Scotland, debunks this saying that “The nationalist First Minister may not be able to achieve as much as they'd like in destroying one of the most successful unions in political history. The United Kingdom is of great benefit to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.”

The new nationalist wind in the devolved nations will change the dynamics in the United Kingdom, the outcome of it remains to be seen in the future.

Written by Will Wilson (model-willem’s press persona)